Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and the Society of Sport & Event Photographers (SEP) announced a new program, the Sweepstakes Marketing Cooperative, at Imaging USA 2007. Available only to members of PPA and SEP, the marketing co-op offers photographers the opportunity to join one or all three national sweepstakes programs, and enables them to conduct marketing campaigns with prizes and a profit-building strategy that they couldn't offer on their own. View video here.

The three available sweepstakes include:Escape to Paradise: Newlywed Cruise Sweepstakes(for your wedding clients) One lucky couple gets a weeklong Caribbean adventure with Princess Cruise Lines to the Classic Southern Caribbean. Second and third-level prizes include AMEX gift cards. Contest start date is April 1, 2007 and awards will be made in January 2008.

Destination Disney: Family Vacation Sweepstakes(for your family and children's portrait clients) One family receives a week-long vacation for four at Premier Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida. Second-level prizes are Sony video cameras, and third-level prizes are AMEX gift cards. Contest start date is April 1, 2007 and awards will be made in January 2008.

Graduate in the Driver's Seat: Senior Portrait Jeep Sweepstakes(for high school senior clients) One lucky winner claims a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. Second-level prizes are Dell laptops, and third-level prizes are video iPods. Contest start date is April 1, 2007 and awards will be made in October 2007.

O'Reilly Media announced it has won The Professional Photographer 2007 Hot One Award for "Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography" ($39.99 US). In the award-winning book, Stephen Johnson, a master teacher and digital photography pioneer, shares how to use technology to develop and refine one's expression.

"The 2007 Hot One Award winners can be proud to call themselves the best the business has to offer," said Jeff Kent, Hot One Editor, Professional Photographer magazine.

Along with great programs, speakers, and tradeshow products, the 2007 Commercial Photography Conference, hosted by the Commercial Photographers International (CPI), will showcase the winning images from CPI’s inaugural P3 Image Competition. CPI’s conference runs from January 13-14, but the P3 images will be on view during the entire three-day Imaging Expo, one of the photo industry’s largest trade shows, until January 16, 2007. And it is all found in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Over 200 images were submitted to CPI’s P3 Image Competition, from which a panel of five esteemed judges selected the images that would comprise the 2006 Awards. Winners include the following: Craig Minielly as CPI P3 Photographer of the Year, Ian Aleksander Adams for the Best in People Category and the Honorable Mention in the Products Category, Lou Russo for the Best in Places Category, Jeffrey Jacobs for the Honorable Mention in Places Category, and Jim DiVitale for the Best in Products Category.

An inspirational seminar brought to you by Marcus Bell and Joe Buissink, two of the industry's finest wedding and portrait photographers, is coming to a US city near you.

This tour has been designed specifically for the wedding and portrait photographer, sharing Marcus' and Joe's secrets for capturing unique imagery as well as teaching you how to turn your photographic talents into a profitable business. For locations and dates please visit: www.photoconferences.com